Joanna Malinowska

There are three works in the exhibition. One of them is a sculpture, a video, and a wall with a painting done by another artist.

The painting is an oil on canvas made by Leonard Peltier in 2011 in prison. Leonard Peltier is an American-Indian movement activist who has been in prison for over thirty-six years.

NARRATOR: Peltier has been convicted of killing two FBI agents during a riot on a reservation. Activists have long pointed to evidence they say undermines the government’s case against him.

JOANNA MALINOWSKA: I sort of thought it would be interesting also to include his work in the Biennial, especially since we are talking about the Whitney Museum of American Art. I haven't investigated this matter, but I think probably the presence of indigenous Americans in the Whitney Museum is very marginal.

I thought it would be nice to build a special wall for his paintings, another way of creating additional, extra territory for him. I thought that in a way it's sort of symbolically smuggling him out or [laughs] bringing him to the Biennial. He is not officially invited. By building him a wall, I can say that this is my work. The wall is my work, and I can do whatever I want with it. So, I'm [laughs] inviting Leonard Peltier.

NARRATOR: To hear about the sculpture and video, please tap the screen.